International Higher Education Teacher Award ^2024/25

Introduced innovative teaching practice, new teaching methodology on air-conditioning function of vegetation, is implemented into master degree plant physiology course of pre – service science teachers. This teaching methodology was developed in frame of the project supported by Technology Agency of the Czech Republic in years 2018 – 2021 by group of authors from Faculty of Education, University of South bohemia in Ceske Budejovice (USB) and scientists in the field of plant ecophysiology from ENKI, o.p.s. Trebon, CZ. The innovative potential is based on: 1) The topic of air conditioning function of vegetation themselves: Despite the air-conditioning function of vegetation plays key role in the water cycle in the landscape and cooling of the local climate, this topic is surprisingly omitted from science education. This leads to low general public knowledge of this crucial plant function having negative consequences for human society like inappropriate landscape management causing an increase of local temperatures and continental drought. 2) Implementation of new scientific findings: Due to co-operation with scientists from ENKI, new scientific findings in the field of plant ecophysiology were adopted for education. 3) Use of modern digital measuring devices during field and laboratory work of students: Based on the high – tech measuring methods for the measurement of the role of vegetation in solar energy distribution the scientists from ENKI recommended user friendly and cheap measuring devices (digital solar meters, IR thermometers, thermovision cameras) together with the instruction of their use for education. 4) The use of modern student-centered teaching methods and approaches, like inquiry education or project based education, outdoor and placed based education for the implementation of this topic. 5) Connection among pre-service teachers education and in-service teachers practice: In frame of the project mentioned above two versions of teaching methodology were developed, which are used during plant physiology course together: a)for education of pre-service science teachers (https://projekty.pf.jcu.cz/svv/metodika_vs.php ), aimed on Technological-Pedagogical-Content Knowledge (TPACK) of future teachers, b) teaching methodology for basic schools (https://projekty.pf.jcu.cz/svv/metodika_zs.php), aimed on the teaching practice and containing prepared teaching materials for school pupils

Methodology

New teaching methodology was developed and its impact on the improvement of pupils’ knowledge was tested through a project supported by Technology Agency of the Czech Republic (TACR). The methodology was developed in two versions: a) for university students (pre/in-service biology teachers) b) for basic school pupils. Both versions are available online. Educators from Faculty of Education at the University of South Bohemia (led by RNDR. Renata Ryplová, Ph.D.), guaranteeing a suitable and professional pedagogical methodology co–operated with scholars from the scientific institution ENKI, o.p.s.(led by doc. RNDr. Jan Pokorný, CSc.), long experienced in the field of landscape ecology and hence guaranteeing proper scientific content and adequate instrumentation for students’ field measurement. The methodology was developed over three years (2018 – 2021). At the project beginning the students’ pre–instructional conceptions were studied. Based on the assessment of the results obtained, the pilot version of learning activities about the air conditioning role of vegetation were developed and tested at plant physiology course for pre-service biology teachers in 2019 and 2020. After finalization in January 2021 the final version of the whole teaching methodology was implemented into plant physiology course in winter semester 2021/2022. The new teaching methodology for pre-service biology teachers is aimed on aimed on Technological-Pedagogical-Content Knowledge (TPACK) and consist of : Theoretical introduction, describing plant role in solar energy distribution and water cycle in the landscape, set of recommended modern measuring devices suitable for education and teaching/ learning activities, tested in practice with methodical comments for educator and worksheets for students. Besides the methodology for university level, the students became familiar also with the basic school version of methodology, learn how to use inquiry approach for the topic of cooling function of vegetation and by this way earn the didactic skills. The methodology follows the principles of STEM education. The transdisciplinary way is joined with an inquiry approach as well as place-based and project based learning. During field inquiry activities students work with reliable, user friendly and pocket-sized measuring devices.

Tools, equipment, technology used

Transpiration is a necessity by which a plant maintains its internal temperature within its optimal thermal limits. Using elementary physics, it can be shown that at the level of a landscape, evapotranspiration is the most efficient air conditioning system developed by nature. Tree with a crown 5m in diameter covering an area of approximately 20 m2 will receive on a single sunny day, in the excess of 150 kWh of solar energy. What happens with this energy? About 1 % is used for photosynthesis, 10 - 15 % is reflected back into space, 5 – 10 % is released into the atmosphere as sensible heat and the same percentage is transferred as ground heat flux into soil. The largest percentage enters the process of transpiration, whereby water vapour is released from the tree. If a tree has a sufficient water supply, it can evaporate more than 100 liters of water a day and use approximately 70 kWh (250 MJ) of solar energy in the process. This energy is hidden in water vapour as latent heat and is released again during the process of condensation to liquid water, i.e. such tree cools its environment by approximately 70 kWh. The measurement of solar energy distribution and evapotranspiration at a scientific level is quite sophisticated, requiring highly accurate measurements using expensive measuring devises. However, for the documentation of the basic processes in the landscape, these methods may be simplified for the basic school level. Due to the rapid development of technology, modern and inexpensive equipment is already available, allowing pupils to perform the necessary measuring by themselves. Our new teaching methodology recommends for the school measurement activities reliable, user friendly and pocket-sized measuring devices such as solar radiation meters, infrared thermometers and small thermocameras. These measuring devices are used during inquiry or project based learning activities. Based on the digital data obtained from the measurement, student consider the air – conditioning function of vegetation and make conclusions in their projects.

Outcomes and outputs, main results

An impact of the new methodology was tested by using pre-test/ post-test experimental design. The data are under evaluation in recent time. But according to previous research done in frame of the evaluation of pilot version of this methodology in previous years (Ryplová and Pokorný, 2019, https://doi.org/10.14712/18023061.586 ) we can expect an improvement of student knowledge of the plant role in solar energy distribution in the landscape. Via understanding this important physiological role of vegetation, they could become more responsible citizens. Further, via the use of modern digital measuring devices they digital skills will be improved as well. As the modern didactic methods which are known to attract students for education are used, an attractiveness of botany learning for students will be increased. They became familiar with student-centered education, especially inquiry, hence there are presumptions, they will apply these methods in their teaching practice at school as well. Students were very excited and participated actively during education, they were interested to use prepared materials for basic schools in their teaching practice.

Lessons learnt

Everybody knows that during the heat of the summer it is much more pleasant to spend a hot day in the forest rather than in the city. The cooling effect of vegetation is widely known, but it is taken for granted and not well understood. During inquiry based teaching activity „Why is the shade under the tree cooler than the shadow under umbrella“ students via their own measurement recognize the amount of energy used by vegetation for cooling our environment and can compare it with technical air-conditioning devices. During project-based lesson named “Using vegetation cover to cool down the main square in our town”, the students based on hands-on field experiments, using a thermo-camera, a solar radiation meter propose new vegetation cover for the square of their town. During the use of our methodology an attention must be paid on the proper explanation of the role of transpiration in solar energy distribution. The majority of the students understood photosynthesis to be the main solar energy-consuming process in the plant. The overestimation of the role of photosynthesis and underestimation of the role of transpiration cause misconceptions. It is very important as well, to explain and document by experiments, which are included in the methodology, that the water transpired will get back into the landscape in form of precipitation.

Adaptability and sustainability of the best practice (for other institutions)

The new teaching methodology on air-conditioning function of vegetation for pre-service biology teachers is available on line to everyone at website of Faculty of Education university of South Bohemia, which ensure sustainability of this materials for at least future 5 years. All teaching materials can be downloaded for free. The methodology is written in Czech language, can be therefore used by other Czech universities educating future biology teachers as well as institutions organizing educational courses in frame of life-long learning courses for in-service teachers. The using scheme in plant physiology course at USB is described in materials available on the website methodology as well, hence this methodology could be use by other institutions according to this proved scheme. Another possibility is to use just different parts – either theoretical introduction, containing developed schemes or high-resolution thermovision pictures and scientific data documenting cooling function of vegetation, or individual learning units and activities. The educators from other Czech institutions can download also worksheet for students/ teachers and use them for their teaching purposes either as complex, or choose just any of developed activities according to their needs or use just some of four prepared worksheets. Furthermore, printed version of all teaching materials mentioned above is available as well, saved at National Library of the Czech Republic, (ISBN 978-80-905483-8-1) which ensure possible long term use of this practice.

Promotion of best practice

The new methodology is promoted on institutional and national level via the website https://www.pf.jcu.cz/projekty/svv/, was presented on several national as well as international pedagogical conferences, research studies done during its’ development and informing about this methodology occurred in several scientific journals (for the list see https://www.pf.jcu.cz/projekty/svv/dalsi_publikace.php) The biggest promotion on international level will be done in frame of the international project EDUCATION for PLANT LITERACY ( ERASMUS+ Cooperation partnerships in higher education) staring from 01/2022 which will further develop this methodology for the use in at least five other countries.

Scope and impact

• Course/department level
• Faculty level
• Institutional level
• Cross-institutional level
• National level
• EU/EHEA/International level

Plant illiteracy“ i.e. poor knowledge of plants resulting from the internationally spread phenomenon of „plant blindness“, expressing human ignorance of plants, are significant problems in our society. Plant blindness is considered a „stumbling block“ to sustainable development. Harmful landscape management, owing to the low level of human knowledge of plants, leads to an increase in continental drought, increased global CO2 budget, soil erosion, increase in local temperatures, air and water pollution, and a shift towards an arid climate interrupted by torrential rain and climate extremes. Roots of plant blindness and illiteracy are initiated in school education. Plants are less attractive to the students than animals; learning botany is considered boring and difficult. Furthermore, key topics like the role of transpiration in the air-conditioning function of vegetation staying in the beginning of the short water cycle in the landscape are under-represented or omitted from science education. To ensure sustainable economy and environment for the future it is necessary to improve public plant literacy and to enhance the attractiveness of learning botany. For these reasons an innovation in botany education is necessary. This needs to start from the innovation of teachers’ training at universities. From this reason our innovative practice has national as well as international impact. Among others, to reach the goals of European New Green Deal (paying big attention to the use of plant biomass and thus influencing vegetation cover in the landscape) higher engagement of general public is necessary. Such engagement must be based on proper understanding of the role of vegetation in the landscape, were air-conditioning function of vegetation plays deciding role. Our innovation of teachers training based on implementation of new scientific findings of plants’ ecophysiological role by using innovative educational approaches and supported by the use of modern digital measuring devices will motivate pre-service teachers to enhance attractiveness of their botany teaching in their praxis. During the education pre-service teachers become familiar with the teaching materials and methods prepared for basic schools, hence there are the reasons to believe they will implement the topic of air-conditioning function of vegetation into their science teaching at basic schools. Our teaching practice corresponds to EHEA goals described in Rome Communiqué: is based on student-centered teaching approaches (inquiry based science education, project based education), encourages critical thinking via adopting real world situations for teaching purposes. Opportunities offered by technological development (modern digital measuring devices) are used in proposed inquiry based teaching activities, as recommended by Rome Communiqué documents. The developed materials can be used in frame of life-long learning courses for in-service biology teachers. In Agreement with Rome Communiqué the methodology as well meets the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals: vegetation is necessary to ensure water availability for everyone (goal No. 6. ). Sustainable cities (goal No. 13) need cooling by means of vegetation. A sufficient water supply in the landscape is certainly required for economic growth (goal No. 8). To be sure, cooling via vegetation takes a part in mitigating climate change (goal No. 13). To avoid inappropriate landscape encroachment causing further water loss, the essential needs for people require that future young landscape architects, farmers, forest managers as well as other authorities like economists or municipal employees to be literate in the basic physiological role of vegetation in the landscape. Thus, they need education already at the level of basic school. TO ensure that, first their teachers must be educated. At department level our teaching practice make education more attractive for our students and improve their knowledge of the ecophysiological function of vegetation. At faculty/ institutional level our teaching practice correlate to the vision Teacher Pro Futuro. The availability of the use of prepared teaching materials by other institutions ( universities, schools, stakeholders, institutions offering life-long courses for teachers) strengthen the relations at cross-institutional level.

6.1 Digitalization

• Innovative, novel methodology in using digital tools/devices in teaching

Reasoning: Modern digital measuring devises, (solar meters, IR Thermometers, thermovision cameras) are used in new environment – plant physiology, by modern student-centered activities. During inquiry- and project- based activities the participants of the plant physiology course use, evaluate and discussed digital data obtained by their own measurement. Based on the high – tech measurement experience of scientists from ENKI, the set of user friendly hands on measuring devices was adopted for education

---

6.2 Internationalization

• Courses implemented in international cooperation (projects, co-teaching, virtual/blended mobility, etc.)
• Other:

  This teaching practice will be further developed on international level in frame of the ERASMUS+ Cooperation partnerships in higher education project EDUCATION for PLANT LITERACY in 2022 - 2024

Reasoning: Plant physiology course is opened for international (ERASMUS) students at USB. The new teaching methodology on air -conditioning function of vegetation will be implemented in frame of the new ERASMUS+ Cooperation partnerships in higher education project called „EDUCATION for PLANT LITERACY“ consortium of partners from 5 EU countries will further develop this methodology for the use in other countries

---

6.3 Inclusion and diversity, universal design

• Universally designed teaching material - adjustable for special needs

Reasoning: The teaching materials are universally designed for all students. As the field measurement can take place in school surrounding, it is accessible also for students with some physical disabilities. In some cases the help of personal assistant could be necessary

---

6.4 Sustainability

• Sustainability goals are addressed in the course(s)

Reasoning: To avoid harmful landscape management causing further increase of local temperatures and continental drought, improvement of general public knowledge of the plant role in water cycle in the landscape related to air-conditioning function of the vegetation is necessary. From this reason this topic must be implemented into school education by modern, innovative methodology. This innovation needs to start already from the innovation of teachers’ education

3.3 Public contact datas

Name	Email address	Website
Renata Ryplova	ryplova@pf.jcu.cz	https://www.pf.jcu.cz/projekty/svv/